The Handstitches of Time
by TrelawneyofSinclair
Summary: If there is one thing doctors do, then it is stitching up wounds. And time has been wounded once again. This one Doctor – the unknown traveller of time and his human companion – faces his most extensive case ever. Can he stitch time together?


**Chapter One ****– An Upcoming Disaster**

"If history has taught us anything, then it is that it repeats itself over and over again. History is the key to the future." At least, that was the Doctor's opinion at the time spoken.

But now he thought otherwise. Something was wrong. He could feel it, as he walked the streets of Cardiff city, hand in hand with his companion, Rose Tyler. It was not visible – there was no changing in the scenery or anything unusual roaming the streets – but he could feel it. Somewhere in time and space, something was completely wrong. Something inflicting the whole universe without the universe being aware of it.

"What do you reckon, Doctor?" Rose asked as they stood in another clothing store, she in front of the mirror admiring a gorgeous yellow summer dress and he being there to express his opinion. He smiled at it and sat down on a cushion. "It looks fantastic, Rose." he honestly admitted, getting whirled back into the reality of the 21st Century. She just rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "You have said that about the last three dresses I have tried!" she complained and turned back to the mirror.

The Doctor smiled at her. "They all looked fantastic on you." he defended himself, though rather half-heartedly. He stood up and walked to the window, hands in pockets and staring out at the crowds of human people hurrying past him. _"There you all walk, completely unaware of the tragedies that unfolds all around you… only noticing your own little insignificant issues on this little blue planet… not even imagining that something is happening a billion miles away, something that will have an impact on your little human lives."_ he thought and held his position for some seconds, then he once again sat down on the cushion behind Rose.

He wondered what she would say, if he told her that her planet and the people she held dearest to her heart were in grave danger. She would probably look at him for a moment and then point out that there would be no time to lose. The people Rose held dearest – her mother Jackie, and a few more insignificant individuals – would she never let down. The Doctor knew that. And therefore he did not say anything. He needed his beloved companion on this dangerous journey. But he knew that she would never agree to join him if she knew it would jeopardize the entire planet.

"What about those, Doctor?" Rose asked him and he looked up at her. She had changed whilst he had been reflecting, and now she was wearing a very short blue skirt with dots, a baby pink top and a white scarf with flowers on it. She was smiling broadly as she posed in front of him.

He could not resist smiling, but did not answer. She sent him a sharp look. "It matches the TARDIS, don't you think?" she asked and corrected the skirt. He stood up and looked down at her, nodding. "It does indeed. A practical outfit for a timetraveller." he warmly said and grabbed her left hand. She blushed and looked at him. "Have you not thought about getting yourself something smart, Doctor?" she asked and he just smiled. "I think my clothing has improved since my last regeneration." he protested and looked down at himself.

In his last form, he had been wearing a black leather coat, black trousers and a black shirt to his rather grave-looking appearance. But his recent regeneration – the 10th one – had brought him a merrier face and a livelier mood. Therefore he had picked a brown pinstriped suit and then some fashionable glasses and a pair of Converse. He had grown quite fond of glasses, the good Doctor. He had wondered why he had not found a pair of those before. Rose had told him that people only wore glasses if they had visual issues, and he had concluded that his last regeneration must have given him one of those.

Rose laughed. "Yeah, you're right about that. Though I loved you in your leather coat." she admitted. She had met the Doctor in his 9th form, when he was a grave man accidentally interfering in her life by blowing up the place she worked at. Their paths had crossed several times and now Rose was travelling with him. They had previously been travelling with the dashing Captain Jack Harkness, but he had founded the Torchwood 3 here in the middle of Cardiff and was now up to his head in keeping Cardiff alien-free. She was actually curious on how Torchwood looked. Last time she had spoken to Jack, he had been all excited about his new subordinates. Doctor had promised her that they could go check it out if an emergency rose one day, and she knew that as long as she sticked with him, that day would come sooner or later.

The Doctor smiled. "I think I will go find us some lunch. Meet me back in the TARDIS in half an hour." he said and walked out of the store. He heard her: "Don't get lost!" and he just laughed.

He was fascinated by the human world, the good Time Lord. Their little ordinary lives were so interesting to him. Although they merely worked, slept, drank a pint down at the pub and partied, then they had so much more they did not realize they had. There was no slavery in Cardiff, for instance. The people around him walked freely, minding their own business and only looking forward to the next day. Merrily he whistled and headed for a little pizzeria at the corner. The sun was shining, he was in Cardiff and he was in an impeccable mood. To him, the world's destruction was near; but since everyone else enjoyed the day, so should he. It would maybe be the last smile he would smile.


End file.
